short notes:
will brady's ruminations
will brady's ruminations
2008-01-02
water
Finally, after more than 3 months, we have running water again! We have a shallow well that has been almost empty since September. Barely 12 foot deep, lined with brownstone rocks and reliant only on the contents of the water-table available in the sandy soil that rests atop ledge rock.
Since Christmas the well has been slowly filling back up, but when we tried priming the pump nothing happened. When the level rose over three feet, we called a plumber, who came over, threw water into the pipe but nothing came of it. They didn't even use half a gallon, didn't check the well, didn't diagnose the problem, only told us that there was not enough water in the well. From
past experience I knew otherwise.
I talked the problem out with a couple of folks and decided it had to be the foot valve was stuck. I bought a new one, in case the present one needed replacing [it is, after all, over 35 years old] and yesterday we banged around the pipe. It twisted and turned about but would not budge from the elbow coupling.
We were about to give up and take a hacksaw to the pipe, when I said 'let's try priming it one more time.' Low and behold, it worked!
So now we have running water again. Time to take a bath in the old porcelain claw foot tub. We won't be using the plumber [with whom we've done business for years] anymore.
Finally, after more than 3 months, we have running water again! We have a shallow well that has been almost empty since September. Barely 12 foot deep, lined with brownstone rocks and reliant only on the contents of the water-table available in the sandy soil that rests atop ledge rock. Since Christmas the well has been slowly filling back up, but when we tried priming the pump nothing happened. When the level rose over three feet, we called a plumber, who came over, threw water into the pipe but nothing came of it. They didn't even use half a gallon, didn't check the well, didn't diagnose the problem, only told us that there was not enough water in the well. From
past experience I knew otherwise.I talked the problem out with a couple of folks and decided it had to be the foot valve was stuck. I bought a new one, in case the present one needed replacing [it is, after all, over 35 years old] and yesterday we banged around the pipe. It twisted and turned about but would not budge from the elbow coupling.
We were about to give up and take a hacksaw to the pipe, when I said 'let's try priming it one more time.' Low and behold, it worked!
So now we have running water again. Time to take a bath in the old porcelain claw foot tub. We won't be using the plumber [with whom we've done business for years] anymore.
PICTURE CREDITS: Water faucet: Uncommon Goods || Claw foot tub: Windspire Inn
Labels: drought, resources. wells, water
¶ 23:44 0 comments
2007-12-12
home front
Bruce's Lament [written by my partner, a letter to a friend]
Bruce's Lament [written by my partner, a letter to a friend]
I've wanted to write you a long letter but... I do nothing but whine lately.On the upside, the electrician comes tomorrow, the cellar floor is damp [it is, in part a dirt floor cellar dug out in 1820], and I've been able to paint the unprimed wood on the inside of the house. Though the photo here does not show it, the exterior is covered with camo print tarps. Since we live near the river, one friend has jokingly asked me if it is my duck blind.
1) We've been without water in the house since September. The well is dry and we are in a "mini" drought. I suppose washing with buckets of cold water builds character but I'm more of a Room-service type. So we live out of barrels and buckets, shower at the gym, and I whine(I think Will is enjoying it).
Seems we have to drill a new well (the old one is a dug well from the 1800s) which entails massive equipment, ramps, tree trimming, lots of luck and lots and lots of money! I whine...
2) We started a "small" construction project in August... a 4'x8' extension with French doors and side windows) and as Christmas approaches it is still not finished. The house in in CHAOS, I'm in a rage, and Will shrugs. Materials don't show up (or are lost); the contractors don't show up (or are lost); the building inspector enjoys tormenting us (and he's never lost).
Other than that, we are well. Writing this is a step in my recovery.
Labels: construction, drought, household
¶ 08:54 0 comments
2007-11-23
water
"We haven't bathed at our house since August" said I, with a grin, to a suitably shocked guest at a gathering yesterday. She wrinkled up her nose, then, tentatively said, "...but you don't smell all that bad..."
Actually, it would have been more precise to have said that our water well, which is only 8 meters in depth, has gone all but dry and we have not had water running through the house pipes since that time.
As far as the bathing part, well, plenty of people have offered use of tubs and showers. We can both shower at our workplaces and at the gym. The real problem comes when flushing the toilet. So we have developed a storage system that includes six 32 gallon rubber cans [there are four of them pictured on the left]. We refill them with a couple of lengths of hose from a neighbor's much deeper drilled well. From the filled drums we extract water by the gallons in jugs. This endeavor means that the new Gould's water pump purchased last spring [see the pix to the right] is not much more than an expensive sculptural piece.
Come the winder rains and snowfall, I'm hoping the groundwater shall adequately recharge itself. If not, then we are going to have to bite the fiscal bullet and have a well drilled for ourselves.
I remain perhaps more philosophical about this than Bruce, having lived in places where running water just was not available. I do get tired, however, of all those igonrant types who ask with a troubling innocent incredulity, "Why aren't you getting water from the city?"
Sub-Urbans! the bane of my existence.
"We haven't bathed at our house since August" said I, with a grin, to a suitably shocked guest at a gathering yesterday. She wrinkled up her nose, then, tentatively said, "...but you don't smell all that bad..."Actually, it would have been more precise to have said that our water well, which is only 8 meters in depth, has gone all but dry and we have not had water running through the house pipes since that time.
As far as the bathing part, well, plenty of people have offered use of tubs and showers. We can both shower at our workplaces and at the gym. The real problem comes when flushing the toilet. So we have developed a storage system that includes six 32 gallon rubber cans [there are four of them pictured on the left]. We refill them with a couple of lengths of hose from a neighbor's much deeper drilled well. From the filled drums we extract water by the gallons in jugs. This endeavor means that the new Gould's water pump purchased last spring [see the pix to the right] is not much more than an expensive sculptural piece.
Come the winder rains and snowfall, I'm hoping the groundwater shall adequately recharge itself. If not, then we are going to have to bite the fiscal bullet and have a well drilled for ourselves.
I remain perhaps more philosophical about this than Bruce, having lived in places where running water just was not available. I do get tired, however, of all those igonrant types who ask with a troubling innocent incredulity, "Why aren't you getting water from the city?"
Sub-Urbans! the bane of my existence.
Labels: drought, water, water tanks, wells
¶ 08:32 0 comments
2007-11-05
drought
No water since August. Showering is easy since many who have water invite us o bathe, but there is also the gym and work. It's flushing the toilet that's daunting. I don't know what we shall do if the water table doesn't pick up before winter.
Labels: drought
¶ 09:44 0 comments
